Sundance 2018 wrap-up!

I canât believe itâs already over! It felt like just yesterday I was writing about how excited I was to be covering the Sundance Film Festival for my eighth year, but, over twenty reviews later, itâs in the books. Overall, this was another solid year, although I must admit Iâm not sure any of the films Iâve seen will figure heavily into the awards race next year. Usually Sundance has a few movies that do, like last yearâs GET OUT, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, THE BIG SICK and WIND RIVER. I canât really see any of the big winners making the same kind of awards play, although I could be wrong.

As in previous years, here are some of my impressions of this yearâs fest:

Amazing midnight movies: For the last year years, Iâve been whining that the Midnight program needed an overhaul, and boy oh boy did someone apparently listen. This yearâs midnight selection was superb, with it kicking off with Panos Cosmatosâs soon-to-be immortal MANDY, starring a chainsaw-wielding Nicolas Cage. Things only got better from there, with ASSASINATION NATION being bought for $10 Million, SUMMER OF â84 scratching the nostalgia itch, and A24âs HEREDITARY getting raves, with many pegging it as a potential genre classic.

Joaquin Phoenix rules: Itâs time to forget all about IâM STILL HERE, with Joaquin Phoenix giving two of the best performances at the fest in his respective movies, both of which hail from streaming giant Amazon. The first was the more mainstream DONâT WORRY, HE WONâT GET FAR ON FOOT, directed by Gus Van Sant, with him starring as a paralyzed cartoonist. In that one, I must admit he got overshadowed a bit by Jonah Hill in a meaty supporting part as his AA sponsor. However, his next film, YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE, was the best of the fest â with him sparking Oscar talk for his performance as a PTSD-afflicted vet trying to save a young girl from a pedophile ring. While I suspect Lynne Ramsayâs film is a little too radical for the Academy, it ranks among one of the best films Iâve ever seen at the fest.

Surprise screenings: After GET OUT premiered at last yearâs secret screening, hopeful distributors hoped lightning would strike twice, with two films getting last minute secret screenings. The first was Joseph Kahnâs BODIED, fresh off an amazing run at TIFF, with new distributor YouTube hosting a word-of-mouth screening that I was lucky enough to attend. The film was awesome, although Iâm curious as to how YouTube Red will release it. The other was Jason Reitmanâs TULLY, which was well-received in advance of its April release, although Iâm not sure itâs going to connect to audiences in a big way.